A liberated journey into a digital world closer than we think; an experimental redefinition of country music set as much in space as on earth; an exciting new age of Spanish flamenco gliding over synths and soaring into the stratosphere—music in 2018 saw it all. You might have missed some of these perspectives, and you may be surprised to see some already on your playlists. Here are 18 of the best albums from the past year.